Folding ironing table and the like



Oct. 17, 1939. owE 2,176,302

FOLDING IRONING TABLE AND THE LIKE Filed June 6, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. I l/Mow //0W.

%% 1 TTORNEY.

Oct. 17, 1939. H. HOWE 2,176,302

FOLDING IRONING TABLE AND THE LIKE Filed June 6, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 17 Z0 Z6 M [6 8 Z7 INVENTOR.

- HAROLD Han 5.

Patented Oct. 1"], 1939 -UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING IRONING TABLE AND THE LIKE Harold Howe, New York, N. Y.

Application June 6, 2 Claims.

My invention relates to folding ironing tables and the like and has for its principal object the provision of a foldable supporting mechanism adapted to rigidly support an ironing table when unfolded and which when folded lies flat adjacent the underside of the ironing table top and within the confines thereof, or substantially so.

One important feature of my invention lies in the provision of a supporting leg having a slidable section whereby the same is extensible to supporting position when unfolded.

One very important object of the invention is to provide connections between the supporting legs and/or the supporting legs and table top whereby all of such legs are foldable and unfoldable simultaneously and synchronously upon movement of any leg and which connecting means is provided with a variable element to compensate for the various positions of such connecting means in all the positions of the legs.

Still another object of my invention lies in the provision of a connecting means for the foldable legs which when in their unfolded position are rigidly braced to form a substantial support for the ironing table.

Still another object lies in theprovision of a locking means for releasably holding the legs in their unfolded position.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent 3-) as the description proceeds, reference now being had to the figures of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my improved ironing table in opened or unfolded position.

' Figure 2 is a similar view showing the table in partially folded position.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the table with the supporting means in folded position.

Figure 4 is a detail view 'of the extensible front leg in extended and locked position.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the '45 line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view taken longitudinally oi the extensible front leg and showing the parts in their extended locked position.

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view similar to Figure 6 showing the parts in their closed and unlocked position.

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic line view showing a 1936. Serial No. 83,969

modified arrangement of the leg and top connecting means.

Figure 10 is also a diagrammatic line view showing a still further modlflcationof the arrangement or the connecting means between the 8 legs.

The ironing table top or board is indicated at l and to the underside of the top I adjacent one end is a plate 2 suitably secured as by screws 3. The plate 2 is provided adjacent each end with 10 laterally extending brackets 4 to which are pivoted one end of the rear legs 5. The plate 2 is also provided centrally with a laterally extending flange or bracket 6 to which are pivoted at one end the brace links I pivotally secured. at 15 their opposite ends to the legs 5 as by the bolts 8. Bolts 9 provide the pivots for the legs 5 to the brackets 4 and a bolt I0 provides the pivot for the adjacent ends of the brace links Ton the bracket 6.

Secured to the underside of the table top I substantially centrally thereof is a supporting plate II suitably fixed to the board I as by screws I2. The plate II is provided with laterally extending flanges l3 provided with pivot bolts I4 which 26 pivotally support the bifurcated end I5 of a front leg section I6 which may be of any desired configuration but which is preferably formed as a channel member adapted to slidably receive the extensible section I! provided at its outer end with a foot I8 of suitable construction and form and preferably covered with a non-slip composition I9 such as rubber or the like. The free end of the inner section It of the front leg is provided for a substantial distance with inwardly turned flanges 20 providing a support and guide for the outer section II. From a point adjacent the inner ends of the flanges 20 to the bifurcated pivoted end thereof, the edges of the channel section I6 are flared outwardly, as at 2|.

l The configuration of the extensible section I! is the same as that of the channel portion of the section l6 whereby a free sliding flt is provided between the two sections.

Suitably provided on the section It adjacent its front or free end are laterally extending cars 22 to which are pivoted as by the pivot bolts 23 the front ends of rods 24,. the opposite ends of which are pivotally connected to the rear legs 5, as by the pivot bolts 8.

Suitably secured to the inside channel portion of the slidable section I1 is a supporting bracket 25 provided with ears 18 extending outwardly between and beyond the flanges 20 of the section 18. Suitably securedto the cars 26 adjacent their 55 free ends is a. pivot bolt 21 and pivoted to this bolt outside of the cars 28 are the front ends of rods 28, the opposite or rear ends of which are pivotally connected either to the pivot bolts of the rear legs or alternatively as shown in Figure 9, to any suitable supporting means directly mounted on the underside of the table top I, as at 30., or directly to the rear legs 5 as at lb, as shown in Figure 10. Obviously the amount of sliding movement of the extensible section I! will vary according to the position of the rear pivots of the rods 24 and 28. For practical purposes the arrangement shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, is to be preferred because of the economy of using the same pivot bolts 9 as the rear legs 5 use.

It will be clear that with the legs in the folded position shown in Figure 3, if the operator pulls upon either of the legs 5 or the front leg section il in a direction away from the top 8, the legs 5 will assume the supporting position shown in Figure 1 and simultaneously and synchronously therewith the front leg will assume the position shown in Figure 1 with the section it thereof extended to proper supporting position, the rods 24 in their pivotal movement during such un= folding operation sliding the extension fill outwardly. Conversely, if any leg is moved from the unfolded position shown in Figure 1 towards the table top, all legs will simultaneously fold to fiat position adjacent the top, the rods 28 during such movement serving to slide the extension ill within the section it to the position shown in Figure 3.

Suitably secured within the channel it at a point far enough 'rearwardly as not to interfere with the end of the slldable section it when in its innermost position (as shown in Figure '7) is a supporting plate 29 provided with depending ears 39 carrying a pivot bolt iii to which is pivotally secured one end of a latch arm 32 adapted to rest upon the pivot bolt 27 between the cars 26 supporting such bolt. The latch arm 32 is provided with a notched, bent or indented portion 33 which is adapted to engage as a hook over the pivot bolt 2i when the extension section i'i is in its outermost position as shown clearly in Figure 6, and thus lock the sections, and consequently all of the legs in their unfolded position. The free end of the latch arm 32 is bent to form a finger piece 3 3 by means of which the latch arm may be rocked on its pivot to release the hook from the bolt 27 whereupon the legs may be folded as described. This latch arm 32 may be left to operate by gravity or may be assisted in its function by means of a light spring 32A suitably provided for that purpose.

By my invention I have provided a rigid, sturdy, foldable supporting structure for ironing table tops, all the legs of which are simultaneously and synchronously foldable and unfoldable and within a minimum space such as that defined by substantially the size of the table top whereby no protruding or extending portions are necessary when the parts are folded. The rods which permit the simultaneous folding of the legs likewise serve as braces and strength providing elements for the structure. The variable provided by the slldable ends of one set of brace rods makes possible the complete folding of the front leg with the rear legs, and in the form shown in the drawings, provides the means for extending and retracting one section of the front leg whereby to bring it substantially inside the length of the 5 board when folded.

Many changes may be made in details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my inveni tion. I do not limit myself, therefore, to the exact form herein shown and described other than by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An ironing table comprising, in combination, a top, rear legs pivoted to the underside thereof, adjacent one end, a front leg, having an extensible portion and a second portion, said second portion being pivoted to the underside of said top at a point spaced from said rear legs, connecting links pivotally attached at one end to each of said rear legs and each of said links being attached at its other end to said second portion of said front legs, and additional connecting links, each pivotally attached at one end to said extensible portion of said front leg and each being connected at its opposite end to a rear portion of said table whereby to retract said extensible portion of said front leg when said legs and links are synchronously folded toward the underside of said table and to extend the same when said legs and hence said links are moved away from said top.

2. An ironing table comprising: a top, rear legs pivoted to the underside thereof adjacent one end, a front leg pivoted to the underside of said top, said front leg having a telescoping, sliding extensionportion, connecting links each pivotally attached at one end to one of said rear legs and at its opposite end to the non-sliding portion of said front leg, other connecting links each pivotally connected at one end to one of the pivots of said rear legs with the top and at its opposite end to the sliding portion of said front leg, whereby all of said legs and links are synchronously foldable to and from the underside of said top, and releasable latch means for looking said legs and links in unfolded position.

HAROLD HOWE. 

